City Receives Inaugural 2018 Healthy Hometown Community Award

Sioux City was presented with a 2018 Healthy Hometown Community Award during the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative awards ceremony held on Feb. 15, 2018. The award recognizes Sioux City for its accomplishments in health improvement initiatives within the community. 

“We are pleased to present Sioux City with an inaugural Healthy Hometown Community Award,” said Jami Haberl, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative executive director. “The City has earned the title of 2018 Healthy Sioux City and will also receive $5,000 to continue the important work of improving the physical, social and emotional well-being of the community.”

Some noteworthy achievements in Sioux City include:

·         Created and sustained a school-based garden and integrated garden curriculum at three schools and several daycares. Six worksites also provided space on-site for growing food.

·         Completed two safe-routes to school plans and started six trail-expansion projects.

·         Expanded smoke-free policies for multi-housing units, organizations and Food Truck Fridays.

·         Four child care centers, impacting 600 children, do not use food/beverages as an award.

·         Implemented a policy that a portion of vending, snack drawer and break room foods meet healthy guidelines. As a result, healthy options increased 16 percent.

“We are honored to receive the state’s inaugural Healthy Hometown Community Award,” said Mayor Bob Scott. “This recognition shows the efforts made by many who are working to improve the health and well being of our community each day.”    

“The Healthy Hometown community award celebrates the successes achieved by Sioux City,” said Mary Lawyer, director of Community Health Improvement at Wellmark. “While the work Sioux City has done is remarkable, their commitment to the health and well-being of their residents is inspiring.”

To learn more about the work Sioux City is doing to support the well-being initiatives for a healthier, more active community, visit https://www.sioux-city.org/community/about-sioux-city.

###

The Healthiest State Initiative is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization driven by the goal to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. By engaging worksites, communities, schools, retail food, organizations, institutions and individuals, we can inspire Iowans and their communities to improve their health and happiness, and ultimately achieve our goal. For more information, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com.

About Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Wellmark, Inc. (Wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., Wellmark Synergy Health, Inc. and Wellmark Value Health Plan, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in Iowa and South Dakota. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., Wellmark Synergy Health, Inc. and Wellmark Value Health Plan, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.